1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus and method for supplying a leading signal to a human body to lead physiological and mental states of a human being to a desired state, in particular an apparatus and method for leading brain waves by using a pull-in phenomenon of brain waves or the like.
2. Background of the Invention
For example, it is known that there is an intimate relation between the human brain waves and the physiological and mental states. For example, when the human being is in a relax state, many .alpha. waves (about 8 to 13 Hz) are included in the human brain waves. When the human being is in an active state, many .beta. waves (about 13 to 30 Hz) are included. When the human being feels sleepiness or the like, many .theta. waves (about 4 to 8 Hz) are included. Since a pull-in phenomenon such that the human brain waves are tuned with stimuli from the outside occurs in the human brain waves, on the contrary, by tuning the brain waves with stimuli to the human being so as to induce many brain waves in a predetermined frequency band, the human physiological and mental states can be intended to lead a desired state.
For example, Japanese Patent Application No. 63-323698 discloses a brain wave leading apparatus in which an interaction between the human brain waves and the physiological and mental states is used, and by inducing the .alpha. waves with stimuli to the body, the human being is led into a relax state, thereby reducing stresses or realizing mental concentration.
In the above brain wave leading apparatus, a sensor to detect the brain waves of a subject, an organism amplifier, a band pass filter, and a light stimulus apparatuses such as an LED for emitting a optical signal or the like are sequentially connected. Furthermore, by fetching the subject into a closed loop, a kind of oscillating circuit is constructed. In an apparatus, the brain waves of the subject are detected, then a band pass filter transmits only the frequency component corresponding to the brain wave to be induced in the detected brain waves. The LED converts the filtered frequency component into the optical signal. The optical signal is, further, fed back as a body stimulus signal to the subject, so that only the signal component corresponding to the predetermined brain wave is circulated in the oscillating circuit. In this manner, the brain waves are led to a desired state by the pull-in phenomenon of the circulating signal.
In the brain wave leading apparatus with the above construction, however, when the brain waves are intended to lead, it is necessary to measure the brain waves of the subject, so that the sensor for detection of the brain waves must be attached and its usage is troublesome.
It is an object of the invention to provide an improved mind and body leading apparatus and method, which is suitable for the repetitive use and which can be easily used.
It is another object of the invention to provide a body leading apparatus in which there is no need to attach a sensor during the leading of the brain waves.
It is further another object of the invention to provide a body leading apparatus of a simple construction.